Tuesday, April 10, 2012

A way out for India

“India is marching towards super power status and it is
already an economic power. It is the most advancing emerging economy. We are technologically so very advanced (our
rockets have even circled the moon) and our industry is skyrocketing. “ The
media controlled by the ruling parties
constantly pump these concepts into the minds of those who care to watch and listen.
Ironically there are quite a few who absorb every word and believe them.

And the reality? India is one of the most corrupt nations in
the world. The above middle class thinks Anna Hazare (an impeccable, absolutely
poor crusader against corruption) is at also corrupt like the leaders of the
ruling parties who have sucked the wealth of this country, and many of whom
have stashed away loads of wealth in foreign banks. Following the lead and
example of the ruling family their sycophants are sucking away the wealth of
this nation as kickbacks (like in the Bofors Gun Deal by Rajiv Gandhi) from the
billions and billions worth of arms/equipment purchase for the defense forces and
others (India is the biggest arms purchaser in the world) and from the welfare
schemes initiated by the government for the poor.

Nobody questions why a poor country like India earmarks so
much for defense or for space. There is no real threat from any nation except a
fear psychosis of a threat of war from Pakistan and China (probably a conscious
creation to justify the large scale arms purchase . What has India learnt from
sending rockets (a majority of which have nosedived as soon as they were sent) which
the world does not know? The most recent census show that one out of 2 houses
does not have a toilet! Not even half of our women are literate! 650 million (60% of the Indian population) are
poor. Most of them earning between Rs20 to Rs30 per day. 125
million children do not attend school! More than half of our children are
mal-nourished stunted many of whom die in early childhood out of starvation,
diseases or both. Almost half the population lives in one room ramshackle huts
or shacks without running water, toilet or anything else. In hunger, poverty,
illiteracy, insanitation, malnutrition India tops the list in the comity of
nations.

This great nation can develop only when we have leaders who
are not corrupt: who have the nation’s
interest in their minds. Interest in kickbacks will lead to big purchases
whether needed or not. Interest in bribery will end up in the creation of more
and more draconian laws, regulations and social welfare schemes. The political
leadership should have the will to prioritize women’s and children’s development,
implement family planning measures, educate and empower women, facilitate industries
with less rules and by the proper development
of infrastructure.